The Dinner’s The Thing
July 28th 2008 11:28
Half of it is the experience, isn’t it? I’m talking about the dining experience of course. Everybody enjoys sitting down to a well-orchestrated, pleasant dinner, rimmed with the tinkle of conversation and clink of utensils. Or it could be something a bit more on the wild side. Perhaps a bon-fire on a beach, with roasted meats and marshmallows on sticks being consumed while people party. I am not sure where you could legally light a bonfire, but it happens in movies doesn’t it?. The meals we remember are the ones where there was something special, or just really pleasant, about the experience. You could have lobster or a nice pizza, and if people fight over the pieces, or if people are in the midst of an argument while eating; it can really damage the actual taste and enjoyment of the meal. Your mind will be focused elsewhere, or perhaps you will digest too quickly.
I imagine situations in history where people had scarce food, perhaps an Antarctic expedition, or starving Jews in Nazi Germany, hiding in an attic. I bet lunch and dinner were memorable experiences for them, people forgetting about their common fears and reinvigorating themselves with the meal, even if it was just bread, cheese and dried meat. There is a technique common amongst certain tribes, where they bury food in the ground, wrapped in leaves and hot coals. Then a few hours later they return to consume the tasty, steamed food. People in cities have copied this method, in our age of gas heaters. Perhaps the natives appreciated the benefits of patience and anticipation in bringing people together. Maybe this is why the act of BBQing has so much anchor with me. It is deciding that you and your friends will prepare for one enjoyable, memorable meal, instead of just having sandwiches or getting Maccas.
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